Here's an update from Texas Bicycle Coalition:
HB 1790: Safe Passing in the House
If you are in Representative Linda Harper-Brown's District, you can thank her for carrying HB 1790. HB 1790 is the companion bill to SB 248, which was co-authored by Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) and just passed the Senate Transportation Committee on February 14.
If your Representative is on the State House Transportation Committee, please send him/her a letter and voice your support of Safe Passing:
District 52 Representative Mike Krusee (R-Williamson),
District 62 Representative Larry Phillips(R-Sherman),
District 105 Representative Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving),
District 22 Representative Joe Deshotel (D-Port Arthur),
District 78 Representative Pat Haggerty (R-El Paso),
District 126 Representative Patricia Harless (R-Houston),
District 112 Representative Fred Hill (R-Dallas),
District 73 Representative Nathan Macias (R-Bulverde),
District 133 Representative Jim Murphy (R-Houston).
If you are not sure who your state Representative is, follow this link: http://www.fyi.legi s.state.tx.us/ and enter your address to find out who represents you.
You can write your Representative via e-mail using the simple formula: firstname.lastname@house.state.tx.us Please copy Texas Bicycle Coalition on any written correspondence you send to your Representative.
This legislation is very important to cyclists across the state. Passing legislation is expensive and your help in getting this bill passed will make a difference. You can donate to the Legislative Warchest or become a member of Texas Bicycle Coalition today! Join Here. Stay informed by visiting the BikeTexas website: www.biketexas.org.
HB 1790: The Safe Passing Bill
The Safe Passing Bill would require a motorist to give at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist and would require a commercial vehicle to give at least six feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist.
Approximately 50 cyclists per year are killed in bicycle-automobile crashes in Texas. About 40% of those are killed by motorists traveling in the same direction. Most of those 20 deaths per year could be prevented if this law were enacted and obeyed by motorists.
The Safe Passing Law, modeled on the Move Over Act (for emergency vehicles) which passed in the 2003 Texas legislative session, simplifies the punishment issues and provides a clear framework for identifying the obligations of a passing motorist to either move over or slow down when passing a cyclist. With this law, the vision of "Share the Road" can be fully realized.
Learn more...
Texas Bicycle Coalition
The Texas Bicycle Coalition is continually working to advance bicycle access, safety, and education for the state of Texas.
Website: http://www.BikeTexas.org/
Texas Bicycle Coalition
Robin Stallings
Executive Director
email: advocacy@biketexas.org
phone: 512-476-7433 Texas Bicycle Coalition
Kristina Gaboury
Membership Director
email: membership@biketexas.org
phone: 512-476-7433
Thanks again all for any contact you can give to your legislators. It goes a lot farther than you might think.
